Machine for handling packages



Sept. 4, 1923.

- 1,467.020 J. N. TZIBIDES I MACHINE FOR HANDLING PACKAGES ori in-a1 Filed June 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 PLLHIIH'IIHIFFI Jame'a'jVijk/ifiidew 1 by 6504,

7115a wtiforfieya I 1.467.020 J. N. TZIBIDES 2 sheet -sheet 2 MACHINE FOR HANDLING PACKAGES.

Original Filed June 5. 1921 Sept. 4, 1923.

Patented Sept. 4, 1923.

uni-Ten STATES JAMES N. TZIBIDES, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK,

.ASSIGNOB TO B. J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COIVIFANY, A. CGRPORATION OF NER JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR HANDLING PACKAGES.

Original application filed August 2, 1920, Serial No 1921, Serial No. 474,604.

T 0 (LR whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JAMES N. Tzrnmns, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Handling Packages, of which the following is a specification. r

This invention relates to a machine for handling cigarette packages or the like, whether in the form of boxes, endeopening pouches, or other form, the machine being adapted for example to feed packages to a stamp or label affixing machine or a machine for placing the packages in cartons. An application of the invention to a machlne for affixing revenue stamps to cigarette packages is illustrated in my prior application Ser. No. 400,690, filed August 2, 1920, of which this is a division. Y

Objects of the invention are automatically to deliver packages in a predetermined position and at a predetermined rate and to deliver the packages in a different manner from that in which the'packages are fed to the machine. More particularly the invention aims to handle packages of the endopening pouch type while the-end flaps are unsealed. i

In order clearly to disclose the nature of the invention I have shown oneembodiment by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings in which,--

Fig. 1 is a top plan of the machine 'show- 'ing the feed end broken away and the gear casing removed;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the center portion'of the machine, the section being taken on line 2-2 of isof Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is a verti line 4- of'Fig. 2.

In the 'drawingsthe invention is shown as applied to a machine of the character shown in -my aforesaid application in which uncal transverse section on sealed cigarette packages are supplied to the machine in upright position and are thence deliveredtoa chain conveyer C in horizontal position with their unsealed ends directed forwardly. y

The mechanism for delivering the cigarette boxes to the chain conveyer C is constructed as follows: A hopper 1 is arranged Fig. Sis ajhorizontal section on line 3 -3] 400,690. Divided and this application filed June 3,

RenewedMay 22, 1923.

above the conveyer chain C at the left-hand end of the receiving table It in position to receive cigarette boxes as they are fed along; a runway on table R, the table B- being disposed at a higher level than the conveyer chain C. The hopper 1 may be constructed in various ways, but as shown in the drawings it comprises rear and front uprights 2 and S. a left-hand upright 4: and a righthand wall 5. Spring members 6 and 7are. mounted on the uprights 2 and 3 by means of slotted arms 8 so as to be adjusted to guide the boxes and prevent them from turning or wedging. The rear upright 2 terminates at 8' 2) and immediately therebelow an arm 9 is pivoted to swing horizontall-y on the pivot 10, the arm having a presser portion 11 adaptedfto engage the rear side of the second box from the bottom of the stack in the hopper and press it against the forward upright 3, thereby holding the said box and all thezboxes aboveit from dropping while the lowermost box is being'carried from beneath the stack by one of the lugs 12 on the conveyer. chain. After the lowermost box has passed completely from beneath the stackthe arm 9 swings out to allow the boxes in the hopper" to drop. The arm 9 is yieldingly held 'Lll1- position by spring 83 and is oscillated at the proper times by means of the "vertically.

reciprocating rod 13 which has'a cam surface 14: (Fig. A) adapted to engageits for-' ward side at the left of the pivot 10.

The table R is provided with a runway boundedon the front by a shoulder '15 and on the rear by a vertically disposed rail 16 (Fig. '1). Sliding on the table in the bottom of this guide-way isabelt 17 which passes downwardly through openings 'in the'table over rollerswlS, the left-hand roller being shown in section in Fig. 2 The belt 17 is driven from shaft 26 (Fig;

through chain 32 and sprockets 30 and 31.. At the forward end of the guide-way is provided a transverse shoulder 19 which projects somewhat above the level of the belt 17 so as to engage the foremost box and stop the advance of the boxes resting on the belt, as shown in Fig. 2.. Immediately behind the shoulder 19 is provided a vertical reciprocating lifter 20 which is mounted on the upper end of the rod 13 above referred to. The rod 13 slides in guides 21 and 22 and is yieldingly pulled downwardly by a spring 23 anchored at its upper end to the rod and at its lower end to the fixed guide 22. A cam roller 24 is mounted on the lower end of the rod 13 in position to ride on the cam 25 fixedly mounted on shaft 26, the cam 25 being shaped to lift the rod 13 once every revolution of shaft 26. When the rod 13 is lifted the lifter 20 raises the foremost box to the level of the shoulder 19 so that the foremost box may pass over the shoulder 19. The lugs 12 of the chain conveyor 0 are so spaced with relation to the velocity of the driving shaft 26 that one box is caused to fall into the hopper for every box that is moved from the bottom of the hopper. The belt 17 is caused to travel somewhat faster than necessary so as to feed the boxes against the shoulder 19 somewhat faster than they are delivered from the table, the boxes sliding on the belt 17 after the foremost box engages the shoulder 19 and until the foremost box is lifted by lifter 20.

As shown in Fig. 1 I preferably provide a pair of springs 27 adapted to engage the opposite sides of the foremost box just before it is pushed off the table R and a second pair of springs 28 disposed somewhat in the rear of the springs 27. The springs 27 are arranged to prevent the foremost box from tipping off the table when it engages the shoulder 19 and to steady it while it is lifted by the lifter 20 and advanced to the edge of the table. These springs are also positioned and 'tensioned so as to cause the box to tip off the table and fall flatwise on the top of the stack in the hopper 1. The springs 28 are intended to serve as adjustable brakes but are so tensioned that when the foremost box is lifted over the shoulder 19 all the boxes may move forward with the belt 17. I also preferably provide a pair of overhanging flanges 29 adapted to prevent the boxes immediately in the rear of the foremost box from being lifted by frictional engagement with each other and with the foremost box when the foremost box is lifted by lifter 20. The flanges 29 gradually bend inwardly at the top until their upper ends are inclined at an angle of approximately 30 to the horizon tal, and the rear ends of these flanges are curled upwardly so that the forwardly projecting flaps of end-opening cigarette boxes of the pouch type may ride under these flanges without being disarranged.

The conveyer chain C passes over sprocket wheels 34 at its opposite ends and intermediate the sprocket wheels its upper side rests on a table 36 vertically adjustable on a fixed table 37 (Fig. 2). Over the conveyer C are mounted box guides 38 with a space therebetween into which projects the lugs 12 on the chain. The conveyer C may feed the packages to a stamp-afiixing machine as disclosed in my aforesaid application, or to a cartoning machine such as shown in'my pending application Ser. No. 400,691, filed August 2, 1920, or to any other machine or place desired.

The terms I vertical, horizontal front rear and the like, as herein employed, are used in their broad sense as connoting relation positions and locations and not as defining exact positions. For example, the hopper l and chute 147 are described as vertical, but they may obviously be inclined more or less relatively to the vertical and still function as described.

I claim:

1. A machine of the character described comprising a runway for packages, a hopper extending downwardly from the delivery end of the runway and adapted to receive a plurality of packages in superposed arrangement, and means at the delivery end of the runway to cause the pack ages to drop in predetermined position into the hopper.

2. A machine of the character described comprising a hopper, a runway leading to a position above the hopper such that packages fed along the runway drop into the hopper, and spring means arranged at the delivery end of the runway frictionally to engage the packages to cause the packages to fall in predetermined position into the hopper.

3. A machine of the character described comprising a vertically disposed hopper adapted to have packages fed downwardly therethrough in horizontal position and adapted to receive a lurality of superposed packages, a runway eading horizontally to a position above the hopper, the runway being adapted to have the packages fed there along in vertical position and thence dropped into the hopper, and means for causing the packages to" turn from vertical to horizontal position in dropping into. the

hopper.

4:. A machine of the character described comprising a runway along which packages are adapted to be fed, and spring means arranged frictionally to engage the opposite sides of the packages at the delivery end of the runway to control the delivery of the packages from the runway.

5. A machine of the character described comprising a hopper, a runway leading to a position above the hopper such that parkages fed along the runway drop into the hopper, and a frietionally to engage the opposite sides of each package at the delivery end of the runway to control the position in which the packages drop into the hopper. v

6. A machine of the oharacterdescribed comprising a hopper, a runway leading. to a position above the hopper such that packpair of springs arranged ages fed along the runway drop into the hopper, and a pair of springs arranged frictionally to engage the opposite sides of each package at the delivery end of the runway to control the position in which the packages drop into the hopper, said springs having flanges overhanging the packages to restrain upward movement of the packages.

7. A machine of the character described comprising a hopper, arunway leading to a position above the hopper such that packages fed along the runway drop into the hopper, and a pair of springs arranged frictionally to engage the opposite sides of each package at the delivery end of the runway to control the position in which the packages drop into the hopper, said springs having flanges overhanglng the packages to restrain upward movement of the packages, and said flanges being'bent upwardly at their rearward ends to facilitate the passage of the package therebeneath.

8. A machine of the character described comprising a runway along which cigarette packages or the like are adapted to be fed, a fixed abutment projecting somewhat above the level of the runway at the delivery end thereof to engage the lower end of each foremost package prior to-its delivery from for guiding and the runway and means yieldably holding packages successively positioned against the abutment.

9. A machine of the character described comprising a runway along which packages are adapted to be fed, a fixed abutment projecting somewhat above the level of the runway at the delivery end thereof to engage the lower end of each foremost package prior to its delivery from the runway, and a lifter for lifting each foremost package at least substantially to the level of the top of said abutment thereby to deliver the packages from the runway and means for operating the lifter at regular intervals.

10. A machine of the character described comprising a vertically disposed hopper adapted to have packages fed downwardly therethrough in horizontal position and receive a plurality of superposed packages, a runway leading horizontally to a position above the hopper, the runway being adapted to have the packages fed therealong in vertical position and thence dropped into the hopper, said means comprising an abutment projecting somewhat above the level of the runway at the delivery end thereof to engage the lower end of each foremost package prior to its delivery from the runway, and an automatic lifter operating at predetermined intervals to lift each foremost box at least substantially to the level of the top of said abutment thereby to cause the packages to drop into said hopper in horizontal position.

11. A machine of the character described comprising a hopper, a runway leading to a position above the hopper such that packages fed along the runway drop from the runway into the hopper, a conveyer movable beneath the hopper to convey packages from the hopper at predetermined intervals, and means for causing the packages to drop from the runway into the'hopper at predetermined intervals, said means being synchronized with-said conveyer to deliver one package to the hopper for every package conveyed from the'hopper.

12. A machine of the character described comprising a vertically disposed hopper adapted to have packages fed downwardly therethrough in a column. means for delivering'packages to the top of said. column at predetermined intervals, means for conveying packages from the bottom of said column at corresponding intervals, and -mecha nism automatically synchronized with said means for momentarily supporting said column while the lowermost package is being conveyed from the hopper.

13. A machine of the character described comprising a vertically disposed hopper adapted to have packages fed downwardly therethrough in a column, a conveyer for conveying packages from the bottom of said column at predetermined intervals, and means arranged to engage a package above the lowermost package to support the column while the lowermost package is being conveyed from the hopper.

14. A machine of the character described comprising a vertically disposed hopper adapted to have packages fed downwardly therethrough in a column, a conveyer for conveying packages from the bottom of said column at predetermined intervals, and

means arranged to engage a package above the lowermost package to support the column while the lowermost package is being conveyed from the hopper, said means comprising a member movable transverselyof the hopper to clamp said first package in position.

15. A machine of the character described comprising a vertically disposed hopper adapted to have packages fed downwardly thercthrough in a column, a conveyor for conveying packages from the bottom of said column at predetermined intervals, and means arranged to engage a package above the lowermost package to support the column while the lowermost package is being conveyed from the hopper, said means comprising a member movable transversely of the hopper to press said first package against a wall of the hopper, and a spring for yieldingly urging said member against said package.

16. A machine of the character described comprising a vertically disposed hopper adapted to have packages fed downwardly &

therethrough in a column, a conveyer for conveying packages from the bottom or" said column at predetermined intervals, and means arranged to engage a package above the lowermost package to support the column while the lowermost package is being conveyed from the hopper, said means comprising a member movable transversely of the hopper to clamp said first package in position, a spring for yieldingly urging said member against said package, and mechanism automatically synchronized with said conveyer for retracting said member after the lowermost package is removed to permit said column to drop,

17. A machine of the character described comprising a vertical hopper adapted to have packages fed downwardly therethrough in a column, a runway leading horizontally to the hopper, an abutment projecting some what above the level of the runway at the delivery end thereof to engagethe lower por tion of the foremost package, a vertically reciprocating lifter arranged to engage the bottom of the foremost package and cause it to drop into said hopper, a conveyor for conveying packages from the bottom of the hopper, and a holder arranged to engage the next to the lowermost package to support said column while the lowermost package is being removed from the hopper, said pusher and holder being so correlated that the holder is automatically retracted when the pusher is reciprocated.

18. A machine of the character described comprising a runway adapted to have endopening packages fed therealong with the open ends of the packages directed upwardly, a hopper at the delivery end of the runway adapted to have the packages fed downwardly therethrough in a column with the open ends of the packages directed horizontally. and a conveyer arranged to convey said packages successively from said hopper with the open ends of the packages directed forwardly.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this second day of May, 1921.

JAMES N. TZIBIDES. 

